Posts Tagged With: bars

Well, I think it’s about time to make my first blog post of 2017! A very belated Happy New Year to you all 🙂

In my last post I said I wanted to try and eat healthier and shift a bit of weight, and by some miracle I’ve actually stuck to it (thus far)! I’ve not been following any kind of radical diet, just cutting down on the amount of naughty stuff and exercising more. I’ve been going to the work gym twice a week, walking to and from the office every day and taking lunchtime yoga classes on Mondays, also at work (one of the great things about being employed by a university is the access to an array of convenient fitness facilities, and at a significant discount!)

I’ve managed to lose 6 pounds so far, which I’m really pleased about as I’m not trying to lose a shedload of weight in a short period, only to pile it all back on when the urge to eat a wheelbarrowful of Dairy Milk becomes too much. I want to do it gradually while still being able to enjoy my favourite treats in moderation. To be perfectly honest, I’ve not missed eating cake that much but chocolate is proving to be very much my Achilles’ heel…

The downside to this wee health kick is that I’ve not been doing as much baking, apart from a few cake requests for colleagues. However, my other half bought me the latest Bake Off book for my birthday last month and it contained a fabulous recipe for ‘Posh Granola Bars’, which I knew I had to try right away. Toasted oats, Rice Krispies, nuts, fruit and honey in yummy crunchy bar form and easy on the waistline to boot – what’s not to like?

They turned out delicious, but I decided to adapt them slightly in subsequent batches by increasing the quantity of Rice Krispies, substituting the butter for peanut butter and using raisins instead of dried cranberries. I like these ones even better, and they’re easier to cut without turning to crumbs, meaning they’re perfect to take to work for a healthy and filling mid-morning snack.

If you’re not as mad a fan of Rice Krispies as me, cut the amount down to 25-50g and up the oats to 200g, although personally I love the crunch they add! Also feel free to use whatever dried fruit you like, or maybe go wild and add some chocolate chips?

I’ve been a bit quiet on the blogging front lately as I’ve not been doing as much baking as usual, and the few bits I have done have been either from cookbooks or things I’ve made a million times before that I’ve already posted on here. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve also been trying to eat a bit more healthily and cut down on refined sugar but, admittedly, my desk drawer at work that’s groaning under the strain of the office biscuit/chocolate/jaffa cake stash is hindering my efforts somewhat…

Another reason in part for my lack of culinary activity is due to my recent rekindling of my passion for painting, something I hadn’t done in years until the other week. I’m so glad I’ve got back into it though as I’m enjoying it hugely, and I’m never happy if I’m not working on some kind of creative project.

Anyhow, back to the subject in hand – Caramac flapjacks! Or, as I have christened them, ‘Caramacjacks’. Weirdly enough, I’d never actually made flapjacks before but my friend at work had a birthday approaching and I decided to have a go at them as she’s not hugely keen on cake (I know, shocking!) and I wanted to make something that I could stick candles in. Like me, she’s a big chocolate fan, and there were two multipacks of the enticing sweet, golden ingots in question lingering in my pantry, so the result was a no-brainer.

P.S. If you’re crazy for Caramac, why not check out my cupcake recipe?

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C (or 160 gas) and line a square or rectangular baking tin with parchment paper.

Melt the butter/margarine, sugar and syrup together, either using a saucepan on the hob or by placing them in a heatproof bowl and heating in the microwave in 1-minute blasts.

Stir in the oats and chopped caramel/white chocolate buttons.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking tin and pop in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Transfer onto a wire rack and allow to cool before adding the topping.

For the topping:

Chop the Caramac bars into very small pieces and transfer into a heatproof bowl, then microwave on a LOW heat in 30-second blasts until completely melted (don’t be tempted to put it in for longer periods or turn the heat up or it will seize and turn disgusting!)

Stir the butter/margarine into the melted Caramac and pour onto the cooled flapjack. Spread the topping into an even layer using a palette knife. Don’t worry if the consistency of the mixture isn’t very smooth.

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a new heatproof bowl, then microwave in blasts of 30 seconds to 1 minute until completely melted (dark chocolate tends to be more forgiving than the more synthetic Caramac).

The Caramac topping should have set by now but, if not, wait until it has. Then, using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate across the flapjack in a criss-cross pattern and allow to set.

Cut into 16 small bars with a sharp knife – or go mad and leave it as one giant flapjack!

Okay, let’s start with the healthy version. I’m often guilty of running late for work in the morning but I really don’t like to rely on sugary and unsatisfying cereal bars for a super quick breakfast. As cereal or toast isn’t exactly the most practical thing to try and make at my desk, I wanted to try and make some homemade alternatives that are a bit more wholesome and virtuous than store bought on-the-go snacks.

These fruity bars contain no refined sugar and are adapted from a recipe I came across for blueberry porridge squares as part of a guest post on Deliciously Ella’s website. I decided to incorporate apples and raisins as these are two things I currently have in abundance at home (thanks, in part, to the final glut from my scrumping adventures as mentioned in my previous two posts!), but you could use pretty much any fruit you like, dried or otherwise. Dried cranberries also work well and I can imagine dried apricots, either straight out the packet or rehydrated, would be delicious too. You could also add chopped nuts to add a bit of a crunch.

These bars are a revelation in that they really do taste like porridge, despite the lack of conventional bowl and spoon! They’re not crispy and chewy like a flapjack but rather divinely squidgy and filling – perfect to keep you going until lunchtime (or at least elevenses…)

And now to mention their dark and sinful counterpart. My other half has been very poorly recently and he mentioned that he loves porridge with a cheeky dollop of Nutella in it so this was the perfect opportunity to adapt the recipe further and transform it into a no-holds-barred sugary, chocolatey, indulgent treat. This version certainly does not share its fruity cousin’s status as a healthy option but it’s so, so good and dangerously moreish! I’ve included both recipes below for you to choose depending on how virtuous or decadent you’re feeling.

The fruity bars can easily be made vegan friendly and/or dairy free with a few minor adjustments, which I’ve suggested below.

I added some mixed nuts to this batch of fruity ones 🙂

INGREDIENTS – makes approx. 12 bars

For the fruity porridge bars:

300g oats

225g eating apples

100g raisins

100ml honey (or maple/agave syrup to make it vegan)

225ml milk (or oat/soya/almond milk to make it vegan/dairy free)

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp water

For the Nutella porridge bars:

300g oats

2 heaped tbsp Nutella or other chocolate & hazelnut spread

100g dark chocolate chips

100ml golden syrup

225ml milk

2 tsp vanillla extract

METHOD

For the fruity porridge bars:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C (or 160 fan) and line a rectangular cake tin with baking parchment.

Peel and core the apples and chop roughly into chunks no bigger than a 50p piece.

Place them in a saucepan along with the lemon juice, water and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for around 5-7 minutes, or until the apple pieces are soft and squashable. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Pour the oats into a large mixing bowl, then add the apple mixture, raisins, honey, milk, vanilla extract and the final teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin then pop in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes, or until the mixture feels fairly firm to the touch.

Allow to cool and slice into bars with a sharp knife.

For the Nutella porridge bars:

Follow the recipe as above but omit steps 2 and 3 and add the Nutella, syrup and chocolate chips in place of the fruit, honey and cinnamon in step 4.